Electric switch and switch-operating means.



E. L. GALE. SR.

ELECTRIC SWITCH AND SWITCH OPERATING MEANS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. I0, I9I2.

Patented May 9, 1916.

UNITED STAT1 PATENT OFFICE.

'ERNEST L. GALE, SR., 0]? YONKERS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW J ERSEY.

ELECTRIC SWITCH AND SWITCILOPERATING MEANS.

' Specification 01' Letters Patent.

Patented May 9, 1916.

Original application filed December 5, 1906, Serial Ito. 346,371. Divided and this application filed December 10, 1912. Serial No. 736,014.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that'I, Ennns'r L. GALE, S12, a citizen of the United States, residing in Yonkers, in the county of .Vestchester and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Electric Switches and Switch-Operating Means, of which he following is a specification.

My invention relates to electric switches and switch operating means.

The present case is a division of my e0 pending application for patent on anti-reverser for alternating current circuits, Serial No. 346,371, filed December 5, 1906.

In the accompanying drawing is shown one form of my invention used as a protec tive device for a multiphase electric motor, but I wish itto be understood that it may be used in connection with other translating devices if desired. Furthermore, I do not limit myself to any particular details of construction or arrangement of parts, as it is obvious that those skilled in the art may make various modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Referring to the drawing, a multiphase motor m'is supported on a suitable bed plate B and has its shaft S mounted in the bearings 1, 1. At the one end of the shaft S is a series of insulated slip rings to connect the rotor circuits to the starting device 3, which in this case, is manually operated but for which'may be substituted any automatic starting device if desired.

The motor terminals 1, 5, 6 are connected respectively by means of the leads 7, 8, 9 to the spring-pressed contacts 10, 11, 12 which are mounted on the inclined fixed support 13 of insulation. The motor terminals'are also connected to the spring-pressed estate '10, 11, 12 by means of the leads 7",8 9', "said contacts being mounted on the inclined insulating support 13. The said contacts 10, 11, 12 or 10', 11', 12', may have any arrangement'desired relatively to each other so long as they may be engaged by the contacts mounted on the gravity lever 14. The vertical inclined arrangement in the drawing is set forth for the sake of clearness. In any event, however, when a gravity switch lever is used, the spring-pressed contacts are preferably symmetrically arranged as shown.

The switch lever 14 is pivoted in this instance to a bracket 16 secured to the frame of the auxiliary alternating current motor 17. This lever is here shown as provided with two upwardly extending arms 18, 18 which carry the insulated contacts 19, 20, 21 and 1.19, 20, 21. If desired, the arms 18, 18', may be a single arm and the contacts 19, 19, etc., respectively, made integral with each other. They are practically so even as 'shown'fin the drawing, as they are cross-connected;;i'respectively by means of the conductors22, 23, 24:, which "are respectively connected to the wires 25, 26, 27, leadfed to the motor to start the same in a certain direction, and the starting apparatus'3 may be used to increase the speed of the motor.

The auxiliary motor 17 is connected by means of the loads 31 32, and 33 to the wires 25, 26 and 27, respectively. If desired the auxiliary motor may be connected directly to the main lines a, b. c or to a separate transformer if a different voltage is desired. Whenever, therefore, the main line switch L is closed, the auxiliary motor receives current and will tend to rotate the shaft 34 in a certain direction to operate the motor-reversing switch R if necessary.

The lower endof the gravity lever 14 is provided with a fork 35 in the path of an anti-friction roller 37 at the outer end of the arm 38 fixed to the shaft 34. Also in the path of said roller are limit stops 39, 39' cushioned by means of springs 40, 40' These spring-pressed stops are in' reality resilient abutments for the purpose of absorbing vibrations of the arm 38 due to the alternations of current in the auxiliary stantially central or vertical position. Any suitable centering device may be used but in this instance I have shown a weight 41 suspended by means of the flexible connection l2 from the point 44 of the segment to which is keyed to the auxiliary motor shaft I-i-L. This flexible connection may be a rope. strap or the like and preferably passes between the anti-friction rollers 43. l?) mounted on fixed bearings attached to the auxiliary motor frame. As shown in the drawing. the point ii is in substantial alinement with the arm 38 and when the auxiliary motor is energized. the rope l2 winds partly on the segment -15. the latter being grooved for this purpose. Xow when the current is interrupted to the auxiliary motor 17 the weight ell will move the arm 38 to vertical position. In doing so the fork will be struck after the said arm 38 acquires a certain momentum and this action will have the effect of quickly opening the motor-reversing switch R. It is true that the switch lever arm 14 may then be given sufficient momentum to cause the same to fly past center and thus allow the spring 36 to tend to move the reversing switch R to its opposite position, but the weight =11 will prevent this in holding the arm 38 in nearly vertical position. \Vhen the parts are at rest the points it) and l7 to which the endsof the spring 36 are connected should be in substantial alinement with the pivotal point 15 though this is not essential. For any given phase relation of the main lines. a. I c. the auxiliary motor will always tend to move in the same direction when supplied with current. say to the left as indicated. As soon as the fork is moved a short distance to the left by the arm 38, the spring 36 will act to assist gravity in closing the switch R in its right-hand position and holding the same in such position. It will therefore be seen that there is no possibility of any chattering noises or beating at the switch contacts due to alternations of current in the electric device for operating such switch. \Vhen the switch is vertically arranged. the spring 36 could be omitted. but if placed in a horizontal position this spring or other tension device would be essential to hold the switch closed. \Vhen the switch R has been moved to its right-hand position. as indicated in the drawing. the various phase wires between the transformer and motormmay be traced as follows: From the left-hand terminal of the secondary 28, a wire 27 leads to the contact 21 which is in engagement with the contact 12'. the latter being connected by means of the wire 9 to the motor terminal 4; the central terminal of the secondary 28 is connected to the motor terminal 5 by means of the wire 26, con tacts 20'. 11 and wire 8; and the right hand terminal of the secondary 28 is connected to the motor-terminal 6 by means of the wire contacts 19'. 10' and wire T Should for any reason the phases of the main line become reversed whether the motor m is stationary or in operation. the auxiliary motor 17 would immediately turn its shaft in the right hand direction. The fork 35 would then be struck a hammer blow by the roller 37 and the arms 18, 18 with their contacts, swing to the left so that the contacts 19. 20 and 21 would respectively engage the spring-pressed contacts 10. 11 and 12. The object of this operation is to obtain the same relative connections between the main line phases and the motor as before so that the latter will operate in the. same direction as it did when the switch It was closed in its right-hand position.

By reversing the connections of any two of the main lilies u I). 11 or by interchanging any two of the wires a. Z). (r. a reversal of the phase relation of the main line circuit is obtained. Assumingtherefore. that the wires (1 and c have been accidentally intcr changed. the phase relation of the leads 31. 32 and 33 of the auxiliary motor 17 will be reversed so that the latter will reverse its rotation and throw the switch R to its lefthand position. When the wires (1 and c are thus interchanged. the leads and 27 and consequently the wires T and 9 are also in effect interchanged so that the main motor 111 would start in the wrong direction. or tend to reverse if in operation.

When the switch R is thrown to its lefthand position. the lead 25 which corresponds tothe interchanged main line a, is now connected to the motor terminal 4 and the lead 27 corresponding to the main line c is connected to the motor terminal (3. It will therefore be seen that the same phase relation between the main line circuit and the motor windings is maintained even after the phase relation of the main line has been reversed. l urthermore, by reason of the anti-reversing apparatus, the motor m will operate in the desired direction independently of the phase relations of the main line circuit.

If the wire I) were interchanged with the wire uor with the wire a, the result would be the same. In each case the-motor 17 would be reversed and the switch R thrown to its left-hand position. In any event the lines a, b and 0 should correspond respectively with the motor terminals at, 5 and (S, or all the connections interchanged so that the motor m will operate in the same direction as before. For instance, if the wire a is interchanged with the wire b, and the switch R consequently thrown to its lefthand position. wire a will be connected to motor terminal 5 instead of 4; wire I) to terminal 6 instead of 5; and wire cto terminal 4 instead of 6. The phase relation of the lines has been changed. So also if wires 1) and c are interchanged and the switch It moved to its left-handposition, wire a will be connected to motor terminal 6 instead of 4; wire I) to terminal 4 instead of 5;-and wire '0 to terminal 5 instead of 6. Consequently when wires or and c are interchanged, the automatic gravity switch restores the exact connections, but when wires a and b 'or b and c are interchanged, all the motor connections are changed in such a way that the phase relation of the stator windings remains the same as during the normal operation. That is, the anti-reversing switch will maintain the direction of rotation of the field in the stator of the motor on the same for all possible operative connections of the main line current to the motor mi.

Without limiting myself to the precise construction and details and arrangement -of elements herein disclosed, what I claim and desire to have protected by Letters Patent of the United States is:

' 1. The combination of anelectric switch having a plurality of closed positions,

' means for moving said switch to open position, means for maintaining said switch in open position and an electric motor mechanically connected to said moving means and adapted when energized to actuate said moving means and thereby permit the switch to move to closed position.

2. The combination of an electric switch having a' plurality of closed positions, a

member adapted to be moved into engagement with said switch, means for moving said member into a position to effect the opening of the switch, means for maintaining said switch in open position and an electric motor operatively connected with said member,

3. The combination of a switch having a plurality of closed positions, a motor, an arm carried by the motor shaft, resilient abutments in the path of movement of said arm, a centering device for moving said arm toa predetermined position when the motor is deenergized, and a lever connected to said switch and occupying a position in the path of said arm to be struck a hammer blow thereby to operate said switch from one closed position to another when the motor is reversed.

4. The combination of a switch biased to closed position, an alternating current motor, an arm carried by the shaft of the motor, resilient abutments in'the path of movement of said arm for absorbing vibrations therein, means connected with the arm for maintaining the latter in a predetermined position when the motor is deenergized, and a lever connected to said switch and lying in the path of movement of the arm to be actuated by the latter when the motor is energized.

5. The combination with a double throw electric switch, of a spring connected to the switch and adapted to maintain the same in closed position in both directionsof throw, a lever associated with the switch, an arm lying in the path of movement of. said switch lever, a rotary electric motor connected to rotate said arm, means for-"limiting the rotation of the arm, and means for moving said arm into engagement with the switch lever when the motor is denergized whereby the switch is moved to open position.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this. specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ERNEST L. GALE, SR.

copiel of thin potent my be obtained for in cent: each, by addressing the "cemmiuioner e! I'etentu,

Wllhllml, D. G." 

